Time Warner joins in health switch

Media and entertainment company Time Warner Inc. plans to move its retired workers off its health plan and provide money to them to purchase coverage on private exchanges at the beginning of next year.

Company spokesman Keith Cocozza confirmed the plan Sunday.

The move, which was earlier reported by Reuters, is similar to a change confirmed by IBM on Saturday.

Both companies plan to allocate money to special accounts for retirees, which they can use in purchasing coverage.

Such moves are meant to lower costs and are part of a corporate trend away from providing traditional retiree health benefits as costs rise.

Berlusconi has already threatened to bring down Premier Enrico Letta’s unusual left-right government if the Senate committee votes to kick him out of parliament. His People of Freedom party is a crucial